The Fate of the Avatar
by HieiYYH
Summary: Aang goes back and meets the worst avatar that's ever lived, but there seems to be more to this story.
1. Chapter 1

Aang focused as he sat down in the middle of the spiritual forest. He brought forth his past lives and said, "I think I might be the worst avatar ever. Do any of you agree?"

All but one of his past lives disappeared. A boy dressed in all red stepped forward. "I don't think you're the worst avatar, I think I probably was when I was alive. I'm Ye-Jun."

"How old were you?" Aang asked.

"I was 12 when I died," he explained, "I never even got a chance to find out that I was the avatar. That probably makes me the worst by default."

Aang asked, "What happened to you?"

Ye-Jun warned, "It's a sad story, but I think it needs to be told."

* * *

I lived in a small fire nation town on a small island about 1,500 years ago. My father was a famous and powerful man in that area and time, so I lived in one of the biggest houses. He was mostly well known for being an amazing and talented fire bender, meanwhile my mom wasn't a bender at all.

Back then, an announcement ceremony would happen when you turned 16 to tell the whole village if you were a fire bender or not. That information would be brought to the Firelord at that time as well. The whole area was quite bias for fire bending, but nothing bad happened if you found you were a non-bender.

One day, like usual, my dad was training me in the back courtyard. "You need a harder stance, that way you can go in low, like this," he explained, and lunged forward as he produced a huge fireball.

"Do I really have to be a bender?" I asked, "Can't we just lie and say I'm a non-bender when I'm 16?"

He said, "Ye-Jun, this isn't about the ceremony. Bending is an ancient artform you need to perfect for a lifetime."

"Ye-Jun," my mother called from inside, "your friend Hui is here. Come on, enough with the lessons already." She gave my dad a disapprovingly look.

"Go on already," he said.

I ran off and said, "Thanks! I'll be back later! I promise!"

Hui was my best friend. His father was also well known in the village, only because he was the town mayor. "Hey, there's a storytime play happening in town in a few minutes, want to see it?" he asked as I met him at the front door.

"Okay!" I replied, "Race you there!"

* * *

Aang asked, "Was Hui a bender too?"

"I didn't know at the time," Ye-Jun replied, "but yes, he was. Like I said, that kind of thing was kept a secret until you were deemed mature enough to handle your bending abilities. There were quite a few accidents before that law was put into place, at least, that's what they told us."

* * *

The play we sat and watched was just like every other story I had ever heard. A girl, usually a princess or some other high ranking official, was trapped and needed rescuing by her true love. A hero would come and rescue her and they lived happily ever after.

We both left the crowd once the whole thing was over. "Well that was boring," I said.

He replied, "Yeah, I don't get why everyone likes this princess stuff. I don't want to rescue a girl."

"I don't either," I confessed, "I'd rather by rescued by a prince or someone really strong and tough."

"Really?" Hui asked, "I was just about to say that I'd rather rescue a boy. Girls are too annoying and afraid of everything." We laughed at the mere thought of it, a hero rescuing a prince, what a rediculous thought, right?

"You boys are back already?" my mom asked as we walked in the front door.

I said, "The storytime play was just the same as always."

"Yeah," Hui said, "some girl whining, 'Help me! Please! Will anyone save me?' and the hero says, 'I will!' It's over." He dramatically played out the final scene in front of us.

My mom said, "I know when I was your age those stories started getting a bit childish to me too. Have fun but don't bother your sisters, I'm trying to get them to learn more sewing before sundown." She walked by them with some wet laundry and headed outside.

Hui asked me, "So what about being rescued is appealing to you?"

I walked through the house and said, "I don't know, it's not like it's ever going to happen." I stopped at my parents room and came up with an idea. "Hey, girls might not be that appealing but their clothes kind of are. Come on." I ran into the room and opened my mother's wardrobe.

He asked, "What are you doing?"

"Playing dress up," I replied as I pulled out a dress.

"Okay," he said, "put it on."

* * *

Once I was fully dressed, I grabbed a fan and pretended to be a woman, and laughed as Hui stared at me. I asked, "How does my mom walk in this stuff?"

"I don't know," he said, "and you're not even wearing the weird shoes they wear sometimes. So, what are you going to do now, milady?"

We laughed. I asked, "Should we go into town like this?"

"Sure, I'll be your escort," he replied, "but you need a girly name to go with this. What about your mom's?"

"No way," I said as I turned around in the dress, "what about Xue?"


	2. Chapter 2

Before setting off into the village, I tried putting on some rudimentary make-up that probably looked horrible. Then we set off, Hui ahead of me in order to show me off. He made the small crowds part off, and it seemed to exciting to be seen in a new light. That didn't last long.

A military man saw the whole show. In the middle of the town square he asked Hui, "How is that?"

He answered nervously, "Her name is Xue?"

The man said, "I don't think so." He grabbed me by the arm forcefully and torn part of my mother's dress. He threw me to the ground and I remember folding my fan, hoping my mom wouldn't be too angry with me for getting dirt on it.

"Hey!" Hui shouted, "What are you doing?"

"Get off of me," I pleaded.

"A boy!" he said angrily, "What a disgrace. Cross-dressing is against the law young man, and punishments are severe."

I sat up and asked, "What?"

"What are you talking about?" Hui asked, "We were just having fun."

"Quiet boy," he said as he grabbed Hui, "you're getting punished too. I don't want to hear your squaking."

The crowd parted again as he dragged us by the arms. Even in that moment of fear, I saw how big and strong he was and marveled at how much I wanted to be like that, and how much I wanted to see someone like that in my life. He threw us into the small town holding cell they had.

"No," Hui said as he tried opening the locked door, "my dad isn't going to be happy with me."

"My mom's going to hate that I ruined her dress," I said, "at least I saved her fan." I opened it and saw that it was perfectly fine.

It felt like we sat there for hours, but it truely wasn't long before the door opened and our fathers were there. "Hui!" his dad said anxiously.

"I'm sorry dad," he said sadly.

"Come here, come here," he hugged him tight.

My dad was right behind him and said, "Oh Ye-Jun, come on we're going home." He hugged me tight.

"I'm sorry," I said, "that man ripped mom's dress, it's pretty bad." I tried showing him but he wouldn't let me go.

The same military showed up with two papers in his hands and said as-matter-of-factly, "Punishment for cross-dressing and helping the activity is execution. It has been ordered for high noon tomorrow."

"Wait," Hui's dad said, "my son didn't do anything wrong here."

"They're just children," my dad said, "that has to mean _something_ to the law."

"You have the night with your families," the man said coldly, "and if there are any shenanigans before noon tomorrow, including disappearing, the fire nation will hunt you down." He motioned to the door dramatically.

My dad ushered me out and took me home right away. I saw the crowd part ways for us again, but this time, I realized they were mostly horrified at the mere sight of a boy in women's clothing. He pulled me inside through the front door and said, "Stay inside for now."

I said, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he said, "I'll talk to Hui's dad, I'll fix this, alright? Now, go get changed."

My mom came from the courtyard and hugged me tight as my dad left again. "Mom," I asked, "what does acution mean?"

"Execution?" she corrected, sounding like she was trying to stop herself from crying, "It when...uh." Realizing I had no idea what was happening, and not wanting to destroy my innocence, she lied, "when you're put to rest for a while." She hugged me again.

I said, "Well that doesn't sound too bad, it's okay Mom. How long will I rest?" That hardly sounded like a punishment to me.

She confessed, "I don't know, that's why it's sad. I don't know when I'd ever talk to you again or hold you again. Come on, let's get you out of those clothes."

"I'm sorry about your dress, it's ripped now," I explained, and showed her the tear.

She said, "Don't worry about it, I have plenty of others."

* * *

Once I was dressed back in my own clothing and cleaned my face, I sat on the edge of my bed and wondered what this whole "resting thing" was about. The sun was going down, so the shadows in my room were long. I heard a noise outside my window. "Ye-Jun!" I heard Hui's voice.

I leaned out my window and asked, "Hui? What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to rescue you!" he said jokingly.

"I'm being serious!" I said, "What are you doing here? Come on up!"

He asked, "Do you have a rope or something?" He looked around the bushes around my house to see something to help him climb up.

I asked, "Why don't you just use the front door like a normal person?"

"I don't want your parents to know I'm here," he explained, "my parents think I'm still in my room."

I looked around and found an old rope in my wardrobe. I dropped him the line and held onto it as he cimbed up. He slide in through my window, totally exhausted. I helped him in at the last portion and onto his feet.

"Thanks," he said, "so, do you know what execution means? My parents won't tell me but they're going nuts over it."


	3. Chapter 3

"My parents told me it's just resting," I replied, "but they're really upset. My mom started crying earlier. Do you think what we did was wrong?"

"No," Hui said, "I don't get it. You just put on a dress and crappy make-up."

"Hey," I said, "I worked hard on that." I touched my face. "But you're right, it was just a dress."

He said, "I thought you looked good dressed up like that." I felt myself blushing, and saw he was too.

I replied, "Thanks."

My door opened and my mom stood on the otherside. "Ye-Jun I-Hui? How did you get in here?"

"Don't tell my parents," he said, "I climbed in through the window."

She walked in and exmained both of us. "Is there something going on here?" she asked, "You-you two-" she stopped, "the man that arrested you earlier. He knows about this. Listen boys, this kind of relationship you two are growing isn't allowed." She closed the door behind herself and looked at us sadly.

I asked, "What are you saying?"

"Relationships are only male and female," she said, "that's it. It's always been that way. Those who don't follow that law get..." she choked up and couldn't say it, "rest tonight, alright?"

"Mom, it'll be okay," I said, "you don't have to cry."

Hui said, "I'll see you tomorrow, okay." He left out the door this time.

My mom said, "I'll see you in the morning, alright, Ye-Jun?"

* * *

The next morning, I learned my father had been out all night. "Really?" I asked as I ate my breakfast.

"He's getting the paperwork straightened out," my mom said nervously, "eat as much as you want, okay?"

"Why did Ye-Jun get to eat so much?" my little sister Nuang asked.

"Don't worry about that," my mom replied, "Mao, stop playing with it and eat." My other little sister pushed food around on her plate she didn't want to eat.

The front door burst open and my dad said, "Here! I got some papers and..." he froze in the doorway as he read what they said.

My mom stood up said, "Please tell me that's an appeal to the execution order."

"No," he said, "it's a pardon...but only for Hui." Hui's dad came up behind him.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I know I'm the mayor of the town but the regional government superseides me. They'd only let my son go because he wasn't the one cross-dressing. I'm sorry."

My mom asked, "Is that all you can tell us?" She tried to hold back her tears and hugged me tight.

Hui's dad explained, "I just sent another messenger pigeon to the Firelord explaining the situation. A representative should be able to get back to us with something we can use against this."

My dad said painfully, "You know that's not soon enough."

"What's really going on?" I asked.

My sisters were shooed out of the room and Hui's dad left with a sad look on his face. My mom slowly explained, "Ye-Jun, execution is rest, but it lasts a long time."

"It's permanent," my dad said with tears in his eyes, "they're going to hang you in the middle of town at noon. I'm trying everything I can to stop it."

"Hang me?" I asked, "You mean...they're going to kill me just because I put on Mom's dress?"

They took me from my home just before noon. They tied me up with ordinary rope, not knowing I was a fire bender. I passed Hui in the street who looked distraut, just like the rest of his family. My own parents had to be held back by military men as I was pushed through the crowd and toward the hanging area.

I was pushed along up the stairs to a rope necklace. Once I reached the top, the same military man from the day before wrapped the rope around my neck.

"Wait!" Hui's father shouted, "This is a pardon from the Firelord!" He held a paper over his head. "He's just a child!"

The military man didn't listen. Instead he hit the lever. My dad shot a blast of fire as I fell through the hole. The last things I heard was my mother's voice screaming out in agony.

* * *

"That was horrible!" Aang said in shock.

Ye-Jun explained, "That's not the end of my story actually. You see, when I died, my soul had not been put to rest. I had no idea I was the avatar, but I knew I had to do something. I was immediately reborn into the next avatar, an air nomad named Xun."

He said, "Of course you were."

"You don't understand," he said, "I remembered everything from my previous life too as Ye-Jun as I was born Xun. She can explain the rest."

A female airbender appeared in his place and she said, "Hello Aang, the name I was born with was Xun."

Aang asked, "What happened? You're telling me you remembered Ye-Jun's live from birth? No way!"

She explained, "I might have remembered when I was born, but the memories didn't come until later. I never identified with the name 'Xun.' I can explain the whole thing."


	4. Chapter 4

When I was little, it felt like everyone around me were strangers. I figured out right away I was an airbender now, but I chose to try bending fire at the same time. It wasn't until I was about 5-years-old when I heard the adults talking about someone called the avatar. They explained that they had searched the fire nation but couldn't seem to find who the next avatar was supposed to be.

The next day, in front of everyone at the Eastern Air Temple I said, "It's me! I'm the avatar, it has to be me."

Of course they were surprised, and wanted some way to prove it. I bent air and fire at the same time and they were quite impressed. From that point on, I insisted on becoming the best airbender at the youngest age ever so I could quickly move on to the other elements.

I got my tattoes at 7-years-old, and quickly moved on to waterbending. For most avatars it took until they were in their 30s or 40s before they really mastered all of the elements but I mastered them all by the time I was 18. Because the world was at peace at the time, moving around the world was easy.

* * *

I went back to that small island in the fire nation and not much changed in the 18 years I was gone. I found out Hui was now living at the edge of the village on a farm. I went to him first, wondering how I'd tell my parents what happened.

He was standing behind a fruit counter as I approached him. "What are you looking for today?" he asked.

"Actually," I explained, "I'm just looking around the village. It's been over 18 years since I was last here."

He paused and looked at me, "You don't look old enough to have been here 18 years ago."

"You'd be right," I replied, "but when I was here last I had a best friend named Hui and my name was Ye-Jun."

"What?" he asked.

I used my abilities to create a quick wirlwind and transformed back into 12-year-old Ye-Jun in front of him. He nearly collapsed in shock. "It's me," I said, "Hui, I was the avatar! I'm still the avatar!"

"You?" he asked, "You were a bender? Should have known, your father was always the best."

I transformed back into the air bender I was now and said, "I have to so many questions."

"Oh Ye-Jun," he said, "it was bad back then. I'll explain everything."

We went inside his home. He said, "Your family was devastated. So was I. The military man that killed you, he claimed the messsage wasn't heard in time and the firelord believed him. He never even got reprimanded. We were remained that male-on-male and female-on-female marriage and courtship isn't allowed. Pretending to be the other gender isn't allowed. Your parents still live in the same house. I hear your sisters are doing well for themselves. How did you know I'd be here, unmarried and without children?"

"You always hated girls," I said.

"I was 12," he said.

"You're 30 now," I said, "people must be wondering why you haven't married yet. As for me, I still remember you. You're the only one I've ever liked."

He asked, "What are you saying?"

"Will you marry me?" I asked.

He paused and asked, "What's your name now?"

"The name I was given when I was born into his life is Xun," I explained, "but I've never identified with it. You can keep calling me Ye-Jun."

"I don't know," he said, "what will people think when we don't have children?"

"I'm infertile," I said.

"Are you?" he asked.

I replied, "As far as I'm concerned I'm not, or maybe you're the infertile one. There are ways around people's suspicion. We could date, get to know each other now. I want to hear how your life is going, and I want to tell my parents the truth. I caused them so much pain, I know it."

He said, "I will. We have to court each other first though. Why would an air nomad come all the way out here?"

"I'm a nomad," I said, "I love meeting new people and the soul of a farmer stole my heart. We can make it as dramatic or dumbed down as we want. Who cares what they think?"

He took me to my parent's house. My sisters were all grown up and gone and my parents had aged terribly. "Hello," I introduced myself, "I'm the avatar and I was exploring your wonderful town."

"Welcome avatar!" my mom said, "What brings you to our home?"

As I looked around the foyer area, I saw the same fan I was holding all those years ago. "What a lovely fan," I said, "I can see why you display it."

"Actually," she said nervously, "years ago my oldest used that fan once but after they died I couldn't bare to use it again."

I used a wirlwind to return to my 12-year-old self and said, "Mom, you don't have to be sad anymore. I was the avatar the whole time!"

"What?!" she stared at me, "Ye-Jun! It's really you!" She hugged me tight. "We have to tell your father, he's out in the courtyard right now."

When I greeted my father, he was completely beside himself and hugged me so tight. In Xun's body, I explained, "I'm going to marry Hui, just like I wanted to back then."

Surprised, my dad said, "Well, it's legal but people are going to wonder."

Hui explained, "We'll start slow, but we'll never consummate it."

* * *

Aang asked, "And you were okay with living a lie?"

"It wasn't a lie," Xun explained, "because my previous soul was so unrested into death, I was Ye-Jun no matter what people called me. The next time I died of natural causes I could actually pass on."

* * *

The End


End file.
